The Black Sheep and the Hidden Beauty (32 page)

She took his kiss, letting her eyes drift shut as sensation after sensation poured through her. He slowly lowered them both to his bed, where he rolled her beneath him, and continued his sweet seduction. Their clothes didn't come off in a frenzied hurry, but with slow deliberation. As if they both needed to offset the harsh reality of what they'd been through the past twenty-four hours, with something pure and honest.

They took turns slowly exploring each other, delighting in discovering what made them gasp, what made them moan. It was a slow but complete capitulation, where nothing was held back, nothing was hidden.

When she finally rolled to her back, taking his weight fully on top of her, it was as if she'd reached a golden point, a place she'd been trying to get to for a long, long time but could never quite find. That place where life suddenly became more complete and took on even greater meaning.

Without a word, they locked gazes and he slowly pushed into her, not stopping until she'd taken him fully inside of her. She wrapped her legs around him, holding him there, taking a moment to wallow, to revel a bit, in the supreme pleasure and contentment of being joined to that person who was meant to be hers.

And, in that moment, despite all the fears, all the work yet to be done, and the very precarious future that lay ahead, one thing she was certain of: her time spent with this man was going to mean something to her for the rest of her life.

The rest she let go, and willed herself just to feel, to truly live purely in that moment and that moment only. She moved first, pressing her hips up into his, then wrapping her legs around him. He began to move inside of her, so deep, filling her so perfectly. It wasn't wild, it wasn't frenzied; it was powerful and necessary. He slid one arm beneath the small of her back and lifted her hips even higher so he could sink into her even more deeply. Their gazes caught, held, and their thrusts came faster, deeper. She watched him climb, watched as his need for her strengthened, felt his muscles gather and bunch as he drew ever closer. She tightened around him, needing to know she could take him to that place, give him that sweet bliss that he so effortlessly gave her, and found herself shuddering, too, in intense satisfaction as he growled through a pulsing release.

He kissed her, pressed another kiss to her temple, then dropped another one just below her ear, before rolling to his back, pulling her with him, and settling her body alongside his.

She'd never spent the night fully with anyone. It should have been awkward, at least momentarily, trying to figure out how to align her body with his, but it all fell into place as effortlessly as she'd fallen for him. She didn't question it. Her eyes were already drifting shut as she shifted enough to press a soft kiss over his heart before tucking her arm across his body. Then she draped her leg across his, wanting him to feel as cosseted and taken care of as he made her feel.

One thing she'd learned from all this was that it was okay to take. It made giving all that much sweeter.

 

She had no idea what time it was when her eyes flew open. Nor could she say what had woken her from such a deep sleep. She went to move, then felt the weight of Rafe's arm tucked across her back, holding her against him. She didn't want to disturb him, but she was struggling to orient herself, and her still-muzzy brain took a moment or two to remember where she was, and what she was doing there.

There was a dull throb of a headache beginning as she lifted her head, willing her eyes to adjust to the dark so she could seek out a clock. The time didn't matter—it was still before dawn—but it would help her get her bearings. Bearings put in complete disarray by the man whose bed she was presently sharing.

She thought about that for a moment, partly because it pushed the return of fear and panic to the edges of her mind for a few more precious seconds, and partly because she couldn't help but wonder what, in fact, did come next for them. She realized that the events currently unfolding could end up robbing her of finding out, but that didn't stop her from thinking about what she'd want, if it were up to her.

Slowly, cautiously, she slipped out from beneath his arm and gently shifted her weight off the bed, her eyes adjusting just enough to keep her from stumbling on her way to the bathroom. She took the time to splash cool water on her face, debating whether it was worth turning on the bright lights to search for some aspirin.

There was a small, diamond-shaped window high on the central wall between the vanity and shower. She stepped over to it, thinking the familiarity of the farm would lend some much-needed normalcy to this moment.

The waning moon was just strong enough to light the tips of the apple trees to her left, and lightly gild the roof of the stables, down the hill past the edge of the pool. She wasn't sure when she made the decision; she only knew there was a sense of relief just in the thought of doing it. She didn't question it beyond that, and found herself moving silently back through his bedroom, slipping on the two garments she groped first. His shirt and her overalls. He'd said the house kept intruders out as opposed to keeping them locked in. She could only hope that was true as she slowly turned the knob to the door leading to the pool, and the path that led to the stables.

It was closer to dawn than she realized. As she skirted the pool and stepped onto the path, she wished she'd scrounged for her shoes. But the late-night, or very-early-morning, air felt too good brushing against her skin to turn back now. She just needed some fresh air, a few moments to herself to get her head on straight and mentally gear up for what would likely be the most difficult day of her life.

Once on the path to the stables, she couldn't help but look beyond, out to her stables, to her place. She paused, looking back up at the pool house. In her haste to get some air, she hadn't thought to leave a note, not thinking she'd be gone more than a minute, and not planning on going past the pool's end.

But there was a golf cart right there, beckoning to her. The thought of fresh clothes and her own personal surroundings were a balm to her battered soul in a way that even Rafe couldn't provide, though he'd been a lifesaver. She promised herself she'd make a quick run of it, over there and back, then slip inside to make him a fresh pot of coffee before he woke up and missed her.

The cart moved almost silently through the predawn moonlight, and she quickly slipped inside the barn and up the ladder to her loft rooms. She hadn't realized how fully and completely she'd turned her life over to Rafe for safekeeping until seeing her own jumble of belongings made her eyes go glassy for a moment.

She wouldn't have traded a moment of his help, and she was supremely thankful for his arrival in her world—his confidence, his knowledge, his comfort. But there was something to be said for taking command of a part of her world again, even if just for a moment, to rejuvenate her spirit and her will to push on.

She'd just pulled on fresh overalls and a long-sleeved t-shirt when she heard what sounded like the creak of the big barn door. It often did that on windier days, but the air had been cool and still on her ride over.

Her heart caught as the creak came again, and she realized it must be Rafe, come to find her. She felt awful for giving him even a moment of panic and was all ready to deliver a heartfelt apology when she hit the top of the ladder and froze.

There was a dark silhouette at the base of the ladder, the only entry and exit to her loft. And when he looked up, she stared down into a pair of familiar eyes. But they didn't belong to Rafe.

“
H
ola
, Elena. I've been waiting for you.”

“JuanCarlo.” It was all she could get out, because she'd looked past his face now, and discovered the gun in his hand.

He gestured with it now. “Come down, we have much to talk about.”

She couldn't move, couldn't think clearly, couldn't decide on any course of action, because too many things were racing through her brain all at once. Where was Springer? What happened to Kenny? And how in the hell was JuanCarlo involved in all this?

“I can see by your expression you have questions, too.” He gestured again. “Come, we will both learn many things.”

She hesitated, not wanting to get within arm's length of him, debating for a split second whether to step back, slam the trapdoor shut, and shove something heavy over it as fast as she could.

“The bullet will reach you before I do,” he said calmly, as if reading her mind. “It will also be less painful.” Once again, he gestured for her to come down. “Don't test my patience. I've already used this twice, so it will not hasten my journey to hell if I use it again.”

“Twice?”
Johansson and
—her gaze flew to the end of the barn, and beyond.

“Your boyfriend is still alive.” He wiggled the gun. “But we could change that.” His face brightened when she immediately started down the ladder. “Ah, I see we've found your bargaining chip. Well, I believe that will work both ways.”

“You won't get away with anything here,” she said.

“I'm fairly certain I already have,” he said, then shocked her by suddenly grabbing her hair and yanking her against him, her back to his chest. Her scalp on fire, an instant later she also felt the cold muzzle of his gun against her temple. His voice next to her ear made her shudder. “Do not test me more than you already have.” His fist was still in her hair, and tears sprang to the corners of her eyes as he gave it a vicious twist. “Now, I will release you, and you will do as I say, when I say. Are we understood?” To underscore the question, he tugged her even more tightly back against him.

“Yes,” she choked out.

“Good,” he said quite pleasantly, and released her as suddenly as he'd grabbed her.

She staggered forward and landed hard on her hands and knees on the packed dirt floor of the barn.

“Get up. Time is precious. We must go.”

She scrambled up, wanting to keep her eye on him at all times. “Go where?”

“Why, to retrieve your horse, of course.”

Relief filled her. Springer was okay. “Where is she?”

He frowned and waggled his gun at her. “Don't think to toy with me on this. I'm quite clear on the situation, and the pawns involved. I've removed two. I can remove more.”

Two
. That was the second time he'd said that.
Kenny!
“Who—” She had to break off, clear the sudden lump from her throat. “Who is the other one?”

Now his eyes widened. “Which do you know about?”

“Johansson,” she said, not seeing the point in keeping that information secret. “Who else did you shoot?” She'd said it perhaps a bit too stridently, but her heart was pounding so hard she could hardly hear over it, and hysteria was edging up her throat, squeezing it tight.

Perhaps sensing this, he gave her what she asked for. “Your boyfriend's errand boy.”

Mac?
No, that couldn't be. “Aaron,” she blurted out, as she realized who else it could be.

“Is that his name? Matters little now.”

“Is he—”

“Dead? Perhaps. Though I'd hoped not, as I planned to use him for leverage. I've looked into your boyfriend's little business here, and it seems he has a thing for loyalty. I am counting on that going both ways. However, now I have a much bigger piece of bait to dangle. Come on now, we're wasting precious time.”

“Where is he? Where is Aaron?”

“Somewhere safe.”

“Where is Kenny? Is he with Springer?”

He just looked at her for a moment, then laughed. “Very good. But don't try your amateur tactics on me.”

“I'm very serious. Where is he? Where is Springer? Where did you take them? Are they okay?” It all fell into place, or part of it did, anyway. JuanCarlo had access to huge horse trailers at Charlotte Oaks. Between an Oaks rig and Kenny's, the horses could all have been moved in just a couple trips. “Did Kenny help you?”

“Hardly. But then, you know of that very well. I will not tell you again—do not toy with me regarding this, Elena. You and your vet friend have made your good attempt, but it will not succeed.” He stepped closer, aiming the gun at her chest, then lifting it to her head. “So let's stop wasting time, shall we?”

“But, I—”

She wasn't given time to finish her sentence before JuanCarlo grabbed her elbow and shoved her roughly ahead of him. “Walking, no talking. Not until we are clear of this place. Given the ridiculous amount of security set up here, I do not trust your boyfriend and his cohorts not to have wired every last square foot.”

He kept insisting Rafe was her boyfriend, and the hairs on her neck stood up as she wondered how long JuanCarlo had been skulking about. He had to have seen them together, and that had only been for a short time now. “How did you get onto the grounds?”

“You want something badly enough, you find a way.” He spun her around and shoved her roughly with the muzzle of the gun. “No more questions. Only answers. Don't play games, Elena. Too much is at stake. For you.”

She didn't say anything, but kept walking in front of him. The feel of the gun muzzle against her spine was enough to insure her silence. She hated having her back to him, but she tried to use the few minutes she had left before he took her away from here, to figure things out. It was a struggle just to think clearly. If JuanCarlo was the person behind this, then what was his motive? Unless he was working for someone else, but that someone could only be Gene, and if he knew she had Geronimo's unborn foal, he'd have come for her directly, and probably personally, as it was rightfully his.

People were dying, and people were missing. Horses were missing, namely hers. Which meant whoever wanted the baby had no more right to it than she did. And she had no doubt it was the baby they wanted. Or they'd have gone to Gene, or the police, and reported it.

Something else was going on here.

Think, Elena, think
. As they left the barn and entered the rear paddock, she tried like hell to formulate any scenario that worked, but raw terror made clear, linear thought next to impossible. Being on the far side of the barn, her view of the pool house was blocked. Why, oh why, hadn't she left a damn note? She had no idea how long Rafe would sleep, having only spent the one night together.

Perhaps their only night, she thought, then immediately quashed that line of thinking.

Likely he'd be up early, due to their situation. She could only hope he figured out that she'd been taken and hadn't willingly gone off after her horse or something equally stupid. Except she
had
been stupid. Royally, and potentially fatally, stupid.

They left the paddock and JuanCarlo pointed her in the direction of the trees that bordered the far side of the property. “That way.”

“It's still too dark—I can't see. And I—”

“Walk.”

She stumbled over the uneven ground, thinking maybe there was some way to fake a fall, then wrestle the gun from him, but the risk was too high. She wasn't sure how badly he needed her, and she wasn't willing to find out the hard way.

“Do you have a vehicle on the property?”

“Through the trees,” he ordered, not answering her question.

Her eyes slowly adapted to the shadows, but she still had to put her hands out in front of her to keep from getting hit with low branches. Twigs and leaves scratched at her arms and face, but she kept moving. Once they left the property, she knew her chances of survival greatly diminished. She knew who he was, knew he was involved. And he'd already killed. No way was he letting her go.

Which meant she was dependent on Rafe to find her…or she had to find a way out herself. Since JuanCarlo wasn't even on their radar, she doubted Rafe would come to the rescue. Which meant her survival, and possibly Springer's, once again depended solely on her.